The charge-discharge characteristics of Li/poly(N-methylaniline) (PNMA) coin cells with an ethylenecarbonate-dimethylcarbonate mixture containing 1 M LiCIO4 as electrolyte are studied. The PNMA is modified from a p-doped polymer to a self-doped polymer by a simple sulfonation procedure and its performance in a rechargeable cell is evaluated. Parallel experiments on polyaniline and sulfonated polyaniline are also performed. The application of the low band-gap polymer polyisothianaphthene (PITN) in a non-aqueous rechargeable cell and also in a capacitor is studied. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.